New tank setup -- couple of questions

[plainzwalker]

So, I finally set my tank up again after a year of it just sitting there with no water. I decided to go with a planted setup, and already have water and plants in it, with some fish.

It is a 29 gal tank, with a Rena Smartfilter 30 HOB. Currently the only plant I know I have for sure are a few patches of glossostigma, and I think spirales (looks like long blades of grass) and another plant that I can't figure out. The tank has a CO2 injector and I just added some flourish tabs to the substrate (Seachem Flourite Red x2 bags topped with fine gravel).

I know the Glossostigma is a high light plant, but after looking I can't find any two fixture lids for my tank so I need to figure out how to add more light to the tank.

I also have a digital thermometer on the opposite side of the tank from the heater that reads a constant 77deg.

Currently fish population:
3 x Zebra Danio
3 x spotted corey
5 x Sunburst Platty (girlfriends fish, I would of prefered some S.A. Cichlids but owell)

I want to get a couple more coreys if I can find some (same species of course) and to finish off the tank either get a few more Danios or add a small group of neon tetras. I have an intank Ammonia meter and PH meters that give constant readings, and I have yet to have an ammonia spike, which makes me kinda worried if the meter works or not.

So my questions are:

Any easy way to add more light to the aquarium?

Will I be safe adding 2 more coreys and either 2-3 more danios or a small school of tetras?

Also, I got shrimp pellets and algea wafers for the coreys, but they don't seem to like them, do they just have to get used to them? (This is the first time I've kept coreys)


Thanks

[severum mama]

http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=609
Something like this is the easiest way to add more light to the tank. You will either need to buy a glass top to set the light on, or you can buy the mounting legs and just use the light over an open top tank. You cannot use PC lights with a plastic hood.
You'll be fine to add more corys and danios into the tank. I'd test the water daily for a few weeks and add them when you are sure that the tank has cycled. The corys I have kept always liked the shrimp pellets, but they will also clean up any uneaten food that falls to the substrate. I wouldn't worry about them, they are probably getting more to eat than what you realize.

[Nolapete]

ahsupply.com for light kits if you want to DIY the 2x55 watt should do it for you

You should be able to do either the cories and danios or tetras. Not both though and be maxed.

The cories should eat whatever you're feeding your other fish. Algae wafers are more geared toward plecos. Try frozen bloodworms, freeze-dried tubifex worms, frozen brine shrimp if you want to feed them more varied diet.

[plainzwalker]

Thanks for the input. So either the cories AND the tetras/danios but not both the tetras and danios? Do I need to worry about getting a bristlenose pleco with the cories? For being suck small fish those cories are seriously active, its fun to watch them.

I'm going to have to look at what I can do about the lighting situation. What are "PC lights"? I guess if I need to I can get a sheet of plexi glass to use as a cover temporarily and get a dual fixture light strip and put that on some feet some how. I'll do research on that tonight I think.

Thanks

[severum mama]

PC lights= power compact. You can either buy a pre-made strip light, like the link I posted, or a retrofit kit that you can mount inside a canopy. High output T5's would work great too.

I'm not trying to be contrary about it, but I still think you can add both more danios and more corys... as long as you skip the pleco, and stock slowly. You'll need to keep up on your water changes, though- 30-50% weekly will be fine.

[dbcb314]

you would be fine adding the cories and danios...